Above: Gallery of grinning Thomas Kelly as he leaves Birmingham Crown Court after avoiding an immediate jail term

A love rat dad sent a lookalike to take a paternity DNA test so he could avoid paying child maintenance,

‘Highly manipulative’ Thomas Kenny was already in a relationship when he had a fling with another woman - who became pregnant, Birmingham Crown Court was told.

She refused to have an abortion and the court was told that Kenny decided to do everything he could to avoid paying up.

When the time came to take a DNA test ordered by the Child Support Agency, he tried to dodge his responsibility.

He was convicted of fraud after the mother of Kenny’s first two children was also subjected to a DNA test - but he dodged an immediate jail term.

The court heard that Kenny already had one child with his long term partner, and she was pregnant with his second when he had the affair.

Kenny put pressure on the second woman to get rid of the unborn child.

Judge Philip Parker QC said; “You wished her to have an abortion which she declined and then in December 2012, when you knew you were the father of her forthcoming child, you decided to deny paternity.

“As a result of that she and the child were forced to undergo DNA testing

He said he could not determine whether it had been the defendant’s idea or the person who had been sent, possibly a work colleague, who would have had a physical similarity to Kenny.

The fraud came to light Kenny was arrested in June last year but even then he continued to deny being the father.

The judge continued “The effect of what you did was to seek to avoid payments to the child that was genuinely yours.

“You are plainly the author of your own misfortunes.

“I have read references from people who suggest that you are normally a well behaved individual but the facts show that you can be thoroughly dishonest and highly manipulative.

“I know you are said to be the loving father of two children by your long standing relationship but this case shows you were prepared to disown a child of your own for financial gain. Morally you can not sink lower than that.”

Judge Parker said Kenny had caused an enormous amount of distress to the mother of the child, who no longer wanted anything to do with him.

He said he had also caused a substantial amount of financial difficulties and problems and quite a complex investigation to be carried out to find out the truth.

“To deny you are the father of a child and send someone to give a false sample DNA sample is an extremely serious combination.

How much you would have got away with defrauding the state is difficult to know, but is a minimum of £5,000 if you remained unemployed for the 18 years of the child’s life.”

Kenny, 25, of Stroud Road, Shirley, who had previously admitted conspiracy to defraud, was sentenced to six months suspended for 12 months.

He was also ordered to pay £885 compensation and £500 costs

Heidi Kubic, defending, said: “He is obviously a young man who has made a big mistake in response to personal circumstances and the threat of losing contact with his two sons from his first relationship.

He is a man who has been under enormous pressure and stress and has spent a number of months contemplating the prospect of going to custody.”